Adorable is not a word you’d think would describe a delivery bag. But creative brilliance is about making unexpected things happen. DDB Sydney has used that power to create a campaign around an adorable collection of DoorDash delivery bags. Their naivety is enchanting, trying to figure out the world. The cast of chatty characters are curious, witty, snarky, and irresistibly lovable. Their little stories are utterly charming, told with innocent honesty and featuring real-life insights of Australian life.
That what the bags are doing is explaining DoorDash’s delivery service and pointing out its partners is perfectly subliminal. DDB’s observational humour is sharp, but the bag’s stories feel unscripted. The bags are animatronic (no CGI), so they feel reel – as ridiculous as that is to state. Mostly importantly, the campaign is distinctive, memorable, endearing and informational. DoorDash is a challenger brand in Australia, with behemoths for competitors. It has added Costco, Chemist Warehouse, Dan Murphy’s, Amazon and Aldi in the last two years. It’s no longer who you might call to get food from restaurants. DDB had a big educational story to tell.
DoorDash also brought to DDB a bigger aim – to create a shift in how Australians saw both the brand and delivery itself. Instant gratification plus a bit of a guilt pang (the category norm) is fine if you’re going for occasional users. DoorDash is aiming to be the delivery brand that lets you get more in life by giving you back time. It intends to be a part of everyday life, aka Your Door to More.
The bold new brand world is DoorDash’s biggest Australian marketing campaign to date. The time from pitch to appointment of DDB, to campaign launch was challenging in its brevity. The scale of the campaign was vast – working with puppeteer company, Meg, to (physically) create the bags, shaping their personalities, writing and rewriting their stories, casting dozens and dozens of voices…
“The chance to relaunch a brand with a client who really believes in the power of creativity is a rare opportunity, and one we didn’t take lightly. It has been a serious pleasure crafting this work, right down to agonising over the – surely right – decision to choose a steel drum cover band’s rendition of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P.,” noted Tom Lawrence, creative director, DDB Sydney.
“We brought the bags to life through in-camera puppetry rather than animation because, like us, they’re imperfect, and a little rough around the edges. We think it’s their limited, bag-shaped view of the world that makes them endearing…and their mindless small talk so oddly fascinating,” added Samuel Raftl, creative director, DDB Sydney.
The campaign spans 13 films (so far), painstakingly crafted with animatronic puppeteers on location in Australia, and directed by 2025 Cannes Grand Prix winner, Jeff Low.
“This campaign is both a launch party and a love letter to the next chapter of DoorDash Australia. We’re no longer just a food delivery app: we’re here to change how Aussies think about getting everyday things done. This new platform is intentionally branded wall-to-wall, and built to drive distinction, differentiation – and a few laughs. We’ve outgrown dinner – this is about showing up for our customers by broadening what they can access on-demand, and giving them time back for what matters,” stated Madison Westall, head of brand, DoorDash ANZ.
Matt Chandler, chief creative officer, DDB Sydney, added, “We couldn’t be more excited to join forces with DoorDash. They’re a brilliant team; genuinely great people, leading an iconic global brand loaded with the kind of ambition and potential that we get out of bed in the morning for. This first work is the beginning of what will be a long-term platform with a cast of characters we think Australia will fall in love with, even though they’re, you know…delivery bags.”
Launching across film, out-of-home, audio, digital and social, the platform ensures Aussies will see and hear plenty from DoorDash’s new delivery bags in the months ahead.
Credits
Client: DoorDash
Creative Agency: DDB Sydney
Media Agency: Wavemaker
Production Company: Revolver x Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Jeff Low
Puppets: MEG
Post Production Edit-House: ARC
Post Production: FIN Design & Effects
Sound House: Rumble Studios
Music Supervision: Level Two Music
Track: P.I.M.P. by The Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band
Branding: SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Design: Mitch Morgan Design
